going_2_africa

This may be an odd question, but it's one that I've been thinking about - even before the TA "fiasco" surfaced.

Is it considered appropriate for me, as the traveler, to directly contact the various camps/lodges and make sure they have received the deposits to hold my reservations? Beyond that, I would actually feel more comfortable with an emailed "letter of confirmation" with a confirmation number, etc. Is this a reasonable expectation?

Thanks,

Shane

cary999

Is for me, I've done it.
regards - tom

ShayTay

Not all safari outfitters require deposits in advance. For my upcoming Tanzania trip, Kibo only required payment about 45 days out, even though I booked it a year in advance. I invited others to join me and I made sure I had deposits from them in advance so that I was sure they were serious about going. I collected their final payments just before I wired the money to Kibo. The safari planners I've worked with do the same thing. You may find that there is not a deposit in place at the camp, but that they have a reservation in place. It depends on what their practice is regarding payments and deposits.

Patty

I think it's more unusual, than not, to not require a deposit though. ShayTay, do you think it's because you've worked closely with Kibo in the past or would they do the same for a new client? Every outfitter I've contacted in the past has required at least a small deposit.

going_2_africa

I'm ok with the deposit "policy" whatever it ight be at each individual camp. I didn't know that, ShayTay, so thank you for the info there.

I would, at a minimum, like to know that there is a reservation in place and have, in my hot little hands, a confirmation number or something. Just want to make sure I don't need to take a pup tent and sleeping bag with me. That would put me way over my weight limit. ;-)

Shane

atravelynn

Appropriate. I did.

A hard copy of the email confirmation even without numbers is good.

ShayTay

Hi Patty,

I'm not sure if that's Kibo's standard policy, or not. Someone else handled the payments on the first trip I set up with them.

going_2_africa

Ok, done - except for a couple.

Anyone know how I can contact Larsen's in Samburu. The contact link on the Wilderness Lodge website doesn't work.

Sopalodge.com is also not working, so don't know how to contact Ngorongoro Sopa.

Lastly, Sweetwater's Tented Camp.

Any advice in how to contact any or all three of these places would be great.

Thanks all,

Shane

going_2_africa

Ok, well now I'm getting kind of cranky. I emailed Ndutu Lodge, using the email provided on their website and got it back saying it was recognized as "unsolicited bulk email." I had copied my other email addy in the CC, so I emailed again and left out the CC, thinking it thought the multiple email addys was spamming. Alas, no, got the 2nd one back, too. grrrrr

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Shane

cary999

Give them a telephone call and ask if everything is A ok and for a confirmation number.
regards - tom

going_2_africa

Thanks, Tom. It did occur to me after I posted that, that the phone number is right above the email addy on the website. Tried to call them, but oh no...my cell phone isn't "set up" to call internationally. WTF?!?!?!

So I b**ched at the Sprint guy about having to pay a fee just to be able to make a stupid phone call. He waived the fee for me and got it set up so I can call. AH, but not yet...it can take up to 48 hours for the service to "activate." I guess some little pixie is going to come sprinkle some fairy dust on my cell phone in the middle of the night and make it work.

Sooooooooo....I will make the call after my international plan arrives from Nairobi. (I'm assuming that's where it's coming from since it's going to take as long to activate as it will take me to get to Africa by commercial airliner)

Good Times

Shane

cary999

ok, let us know how it goes.
regards - tom

newtravel

My wife and I are going to be staying at Sala Camp and Chui lodge in Aug. Any comments or recommendations

Patty

For Sweetwaters, you'd contact Serena (didn't know if you knew that).

newtravel,
Eben (climbhighsleeplow) posted some comments on Sala's in this thread http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34932659

You might also want to start a new thread with your question.

going_2_africa

Thank you, Patty. No, I didn't know Sweetwater's was "part of" Serena.

Shane

steeliejim

"This may be an odd question, but it's one that I've been thinking about - even before the TA "fiasco" surfaced."

Not odd at all. Exactly what I did, to help my comfort level. Asked for, and got, with a package of (hardcopy or email) vouchers for camps, internal flights, visa waiver for every camp, and travel leg of trip.

Funny thing (to me anyway) was that I was assured that I did not need confirmation #'s for internal flights. I was told that our names would be on lists. That seemed kind of sketchy to me, so I asked, and received them anyway. Sure enough, on every internal flight, they never wanted to even look at my piece of paper, but found us on the list. Pretty cool, but I still felt better, just in case.

But, did anyone else notice the point that at least some camps do not require the deposit to be sent up front? Anyone want to acknowledge that, at least for camps that Rocco has been dealing with, that might, just might, have be the situation. So, he wasn't necessarily entirely off-base. Don't mean to reopen the TA "fiasco" issue, but there were those who commented that deposits are ALWAYS sent on ahead of time. And, I must admit, that, I would feel more comfortable if mine was as well--along with getting the confirmation that I had a reserved spot for my trip.

Jim

going_2_africa

Jim, I agree completely. I will feel MUCH better having "something" in MY hands to take along. Even if it's emails between my TA and the lodge/camp saying there's a res in place.

Oddly enough, I only heard back today from one out of the several that I emailed last night. That might just be due to cultural difference though. I think we, in the U.S, tend to be a little more of the "urgent" mind set - at least I know I am. Perhaps they don't subscribe to the 24-hour response time. I dunno.

In any event, I also emailed my TA, because the one lodge I did hear back from said they didn't have a reservation for me. WHAT?!?!?! So, I immediately sent an email off to TA. He assured me that everything is in place, to include all internal flight reservations and said he will send me all confirmation information as well.

I suppose I should be satisfied with that, but I'd almost still feel better with a confirmation directly from the lodges/camps. Maybe I am being unreasonable/anal now.

Thanks for your input/thoughts

Shane

atravelynn

Emails and everything is slower in Africa. I'd give them several days to respond. If no answer, email again. Sometimes the delays are due to technical difficulties.

africaddict

Jim

Here is the response I got when asked at Shenton Safaris-

"Hi Marc – it depends, some of the agents send a deposit and some do not"

and Remote Africa-

Hi Marc,

"In our case, we are happy for one full payment to be received between 60 and 30 days prior to travel. We don't ask for deposits."

...........there you go. Rocco was correct, not ALL Lodges seek Deposit first.

Cheers
Marc

steeliejim

Thanks, Marc,

And, in Rocco's case, the camps he typically recommends are ones with which he has good relationships, and has visited personally, often more than once. That was fine with me, because the ones we visited were fabulous, and we're trying to figure out a way to get back to at least a couple this fall, if we can be squeezed in. Nothing definite yet. So, I can see why they did not require him to send early deposits to be sent in.

I can also see many reasons why thea would not be universal. Small TA's that have not visited personally and have not built relationships with the camps, being one.

Wonder if anyone will give at least a little "Mea culpa" to Rocco, at least on that one point. Not holding my breath. Cheers,

jim